Rerolling speed control for musical instruments



May 21, 1935. E, VERUNDEN 2,002,163

REROLLING SPEED CONTROL FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed May 13, 1935 PLAY NEUTRAL REROLL FIG.4 .5

, 4 1 2 M L w fl a 1 m/ o 1 e 7 m g 1 w 18.6171a9 z7o w/ENTOR ATTORNEY N53? .5. fzi 5 Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REROLLING SPEED CONTROL FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 10 Claims.

The invention relates to means for automatically controlling the speed of a music sheet in an automatic musical instrument, and more particularly the rerolling speed of the music sheet.

When the music sheet of an automatic musical instrument is rerolled at a high uniform speed, it comes to a sudden and noisy stop which places the player mechanism and the music sheet under severe stresses and occasionally causes tearing of the music sheet at the retaining tab and elsewhere. To avoid these objections, slow rerolling has been resorted to, but this unduly lengthens the rerolling interval.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for rerolling the music sheet at high speed to conserve time and to automatically decelerate the music sheet near the end of rerolling to bring the music sheet to a smooth quiet stop, preventing damage to the player mechanism and avoiding tearing of the music sheet.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic musical instrument embodying the reroll speed controlling means of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the tracker-box and music sheet at the end of rerolling;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a motor speed controlling device of the invention, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the speed-controlling device taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In this drawing, the numeral 20 designates a tracker-box provided with a tracker-bar 2| over which aperforated music sheet 22 is drawn from a music spool 23 onto a take-up spool 24. The movement of the music sheet is eifected by means of a suction-operated motor 25 acting through a transmission mechanism 26, both of well known construction. To effect playing, the take-up spool 24 is rotated to draw the music sheet forward over the tracker-bar; and to effect rerolling, the music roll is rotated in the opposite direction at a higher speed. The transmission also has a neutral position, so that when desired the music sheet and operating spools may be held stationary; and the usual braking means are provided in order that no slack will develop in the music sheet under operating conditions. The transmission mechanism includes a shifting lever 21 to the lower end of which is pivotally connected a shifting rod 28 actuated by pneumatic means, hereinafter described, for placing the transmission mechanism in a playing, rerolling or neutra1 position, as disclosed in my United State Letters Patent No. 1,874,663, issued August The transmission shifting means includes pneumatics 29, 30, and 3| which are operatively connected with the shifting rod 28, and which are deflated under suction to move the rod. The pneumatic 29 moves the rod in one direction to playing position, and the pneumatic 30 moves the rod in the other direction to rerolling position. The pair of pneumatics 3| deflate simultaneously to move the rod from either playing or rerolling position to a neutral position. The apl0 plication of suction to the pneumatics 29, 30, and 3| is controlled by primary actions 44, 45, and 46, respectively, which are selectively controlled in any suitable manner, as in the above patent or in my copending application, Serial No. 670,821, filed May 13, 1933.

The primary actions 44, 45, and 46 are connected by ducts 50, 5I, and 52, respectively, to a valve device 41 bywhich the ducts are selectively vented to operate the primary actions. The valve device 41 is under both manual and automatic control as in the above disclosures. The manual control includes a group of circuitclosers or push-buttons I03, I04, I05, respectively labeled Play, Neutral and Reroll, connected by suitable circuits to the valve device 41. The automatic control includes pneumatically operated circuit-closers I00, I40, and H2 connected in parallel with the circuit-closers I03, I04, and I05, and controlled through a primary action II 0. A duct I08 controlling the reroll circuit-closer II2 leads to the tracker-bar 2I to be uncovered by a reroll perforation in the music sheet, so as to effect rerolling after the music sheet is played.

The take-up spool 24 is provided at one end with a pivoted trigger plate I21 which is movable outwardly when uncovered by the narrowed end of the music sheet, as in the above patent, into proximity with an arm of a rock-shaft I29 journalled in the side wall of the tracker box. A stationary Valve seat member I30 is arranged adjacent the outer end of the rock-shaft and is provided with three ports connected by ducts I3I, I69, and H0. A valve I32 is pivotally mounted on the valve seat member I30 and normally closes the ports in which suction normally exists. The outer end of the rock-shaft is provided with an arm engageable with the valve I32 to open the ports and thus expose the ports to 55 atmospheric pressure. This opening movement of the valve I32 is efiected at the conclusion of the rerolling operation by the rock-shaft I29, which is engaged and swung by the then projecting trigger plate I21. When the take-up spool turns in playing direction, the trigger plate slides by the rock-shaft and is held at its inner position as soon as it is covered by the music sheet. 7

The duct I3I. is connected to a two-way valve I96 by which it is placed in selective communication with other ducts I99 and I35, as in the above disclosures. The ducts I34 and I35 lead to different units of the primary action II 9 control-v ling the pneumatically operated circuit-closers I49 and IE9, respectively.

The suction-operated motor'25 is under the control of a valve action III :which permits the music sheet to reroll at high speed and which slows down the motor near the end of rerolling to'bring the music sheet to a, smooth noiseless stop. The valve action comprises a rectangular valve body I12 to the fiat bottom face of which is secured a plate I 'I9 byscrews I'l I. The valve body is provided with a pair of parallel bores I75 and H5 opening at opposite ends of the valve body in register with nozzles III and I 18 secured to the valve body; The nozzle III is connected with the motor by a duct I79, and the nozzle H8 is connected with an exhauster, not shown, by a duct I99. Spaced vertical bores I8I and I82 connect the bore: I15 with the fiat bot tom faceof the valve body where they form ports. I The port-forming ends of the bores IBI and I82 are surrounded by channels I83 and I84 respectively, which arecut into the valve body and which define circular valve seats around-the ports. The channels I 83 and I8!- communicate with the bore I79 connected with the exhauster. The bottom plate Il3;is provided in its upper face with shallow circular recesses I85 and I86 registering with the bores I8! and I 82 respec tively, but separated therefrom by flexible diaphragms I8! and I98 respectively, forming chambers with the recesses. The diaphragms I81? and I88 carrydisk valves I89 and- I99 respectively, adapted to close the ports at the lower ends of the bores I8! and ii respectively, as hereinafter described. I

When the valves I99 and I99are open, the bores I75 and H9 are in communication by way of the bores I8I and I82 and channels I93 and. I 84 so as to permit the application of suction to the motor. The bore I8I is sufiiciently large to permit the motor to operate at normal speed, while the bore I 32 is somewhat smaller and is adjustably throttled by ascrew I9I, so'as to reduce the speed of the motor when the valvev I89 is closed and the valve I90 is open. 1 i The spaces above the diaphragrns I9! and I89 are under'suction, being in communication with the bore lit, and the chambers below the diaphragms are also placed under suction from the same source by respective'bleed openings I92, shown in Fig. 5. Under this condition the valves I39and I99 drop to open position by their weight and the motor operates at normal speed. -Pro- 'vision is made for admitting atmospheric pressure into the diaphragm chambers I85 and I99, which will lift the diaphragms and cause the valves to close. The closing of the valve I99 will reduce the motor speed and the closing of both valves will stop the'motor. By shutting the diaphragm chambers from atmospheric pressure, suction will againbe applied to these'chambers through the bleed openings I 92 to cause the valves to open.

The diaphragm chamber I is vented to atmosphere by the duct I19 leading to the valve I32 controlled by take-up spool at the conclusion of rerolling. The diaphragm chamber I85 is vented to atmosphere by a duct I99 leading to a vent valve I94 of well known construction. The vent valve I94 comprises a block I95 having defiatable pneumatics I95 and I9? at opposite ends connected by a rod I98 secured to a slide valve I99 bearing on the top face of the block I94 to control a vent opening 209 therein. The valve I99 .is normally urged to closed position bya spring 29L During playing of the music sheet the pneumatic I 99 is deflated to valve-closing position by a duct 292 connected to the play pneumatic 29 of the transmission shifting device. The pneumatic)? is deflated to valve-opening positionby a duct 293 connected to a primary action 29 controlled by the duct I69 leading to the tracker-box valve I92. The duct I69 has a branch IE9 leading to an opening'in the trackerbar 2I and uncovered by an opening 295 in the music sheet. This opening, as seen in Fig. 2, is near the narrowed end of the music sheet, so as to vent the ducts I99 and I69 just before the end of rerolling. a a

'In operation, a music sheet or roll is placed in thetracker-box and is hooked to the take-up spool 24 in the usual manner, the trackertransmission at this time being in neutral position. The operator then momentarily depresses the play circuit-closer I93 to effect the deflation of the play pneumatic 29 of the transmission shifting device, as in the above patent or application, thereby shifting the tracker transmission to playing position. The motor 25 then drives the takeup spool 2 to effect the travel of the music sheet in playing direction. I I 1 At the conclusion of playing, a perforation in the music sheet vents the duct I98 to operate the reroll circuit-closer I I2 and thereby deflate the reroll pneumatic 3G to shift the transmission to rerollingposition, whereupon the motor drives the music spool 23 at high speed in reverse direction to reroll the music sheet. Near the end of rerolling, the perforation 295 in the music sheet vents the ducts I69 and IE9, operating the primary action 294, which defiates the pneumatic I97 to shift the valve I99 and thereby vent the duct I93, Atmospheric pressure is thus admitted to the diaphragm chamber I95 of the valve action III, causing the valve I89 to close the bore I9I and slow down the motor, the suction on the mo tor being then limited by the throttled bore I82. A short time later, and before the venting valve I94 hasan opportunity to close, the narrowed end of the slowly moving music sheet exposes the trigger plate I21 on the take-up spool and perrock-shaft I29, which lifts the valve I32 and opens the ducts I35, I69 and I'IIZI to atmosphere. The duct I69 being vented, the venting valve I94 remains open, so that the valve I89 of the valve action remains closed. The venting of the duct I I9 causes the valve I99 of the valve action to close, so that the motor comes to a smooth noiseless stop avoidingstress on the music sheet and on the operating mechanism. The music sheet remains hooked on the take-up spool and may either be replayed. or removed.

If the stop-replay valve I39 is placed in stop position, the duct I3I communicates with the duct I 34 to operate the neutralcircuit-closer I99 and I90 of the valve action to open and allowing the will resume its normal speed.

If automatic replaying of the music sheet is desired the stop-replay valve I36 is moved to replay position when the music sheet is installed or at any time prior to the conclusion of rerolling. The opening of the valve I32 by the trigger plate then admits atmospheric pressure into the duct I35 to operate the play circuitcloser I63 and thus shift the tracker-box transmission to playing position, after which the valve I32 closes. The suction applied to the play pneumatic 29 is also applied through the duct 202 to the pneumatic I95 of the venting valve I 94, thus deflating the latter pneumatic and moving the slide valve I93 to close the port 290 of the duct I53. The diaphragm chamber I85 is thereby again placed under suction through the bleed opening I52, and the valve I89 drops, opening the bore I8I and causing the motor to run normal speed. The venting valve I94 remains closed during the playing of the music sheet.

The smooth stopping of the motor at the end of rerolling permits easy shifting of the transmission to neutral or replaying position. If the music sheet is removed from the trackerbox, the duct I59 is vented and the motor therefore runs at idling speed until another music sheet is placed in the tracker-box to cover the tracker-bar ports. 7

While the motor control is here shown to vary the motor speed during rerolling it will be obvious that it can also be used to vary the motor speed during playing to produce different tempos.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of a pneumatic motor for effecting the travel of the music sheet, a throttle valve for said motor having a plurality of air openings through which the air flow divides, a valve member for at least one of said openings, and means controlled by the music sheet for actuating said valve member to vary the speed of the motor.

2. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of a pneumatic motor for effecting the travel of the music sheet, a throttle valve for said motor having a plurality of valve openings through which the air flow di vides, valve means for said openings, and means controlled by the music sheet for actuating one or more of said valve members to vary the speed of the motor.

3. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of a tracker-box having a take-up spool and a tracker-bar, said tracker-bar having a duct to be uncovered by a perforation in the music sheet near the forward end of said sheet, a valve having a duct, means co-operating with said take-up spool for opening said valve at the conclusion of rerolling, a motor for rerolling the music sheet, means controlled by the uncovering of said tracker-bar duct for reducing the motor speed near the end of rerolling, and means controlled by the opening of said valve at the end of rerolling for stopping the motor.

4. A speed controlling valve for a pneumatic motor, comprising a valve body having a passage connecting said passages, valves for said openings to control the extent of air flow between the passages, and pneumatic means for operating said valves.

5. A speed controlling valve for a pneumatic motor, comprising a valve body having a passage adapted to be connected to an exhauster and another passage adapted to be connected to the motor, there being a plurality of valve openings extending from said last-named passage to a face of the valve body and other openings extending from said first-named passage to said face, a cover secured to said face and having recesses registering with said valve openings, each recess also registering with one of the other openings, a diaphragm for each recess forming therewith a chamber and separating said chamber from the corresponding valve opening, a valve member on each diaphragm for covering or exposing the corresponding valve opening, means including a bleed opening for applying suction from said firstnamed passage to each diaphragm chamber, and means for venting said chamber to atmosphere for closing a selected number of said valve members and thereby varying the effective duct area of the valve.

6. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of a tracker-bar having a port to be uncovered by a perforation in the music sheet, means for effecting the travel of the music sheet, and means controlled by the uncovering of said tracker-bar port for reducing the rate of travel of the music sheet while said sheet is moving in the same direction.

7. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of means for effecting the travel of the music sheet in playing and returning directions, means controlled by the music sheet for reducing the rate of travel of the music sheet near the end of its return travel, and means for bringing the slowly moving music sheet to a-stop at the end of its return travel.

8. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of a tracker-bar having a duct to be uncovered by a perforation in the forward end portion of the music sheet, a take-up spool for the music sheet, a valve having a pair of ducts one or" which communicates with said first-named duct, means co-operating with the take-up spool for opening said valve at the conclusion of rerolling, mechanism for rerolling the music sheet, means controlled by the uncovering of said tracker-bar duct for reducing rerolling speed near the end of rerolling, and means controlled by the opening of said valve at the end of rerolling to stop said mechanism.

9. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of a tracker bar having a port to be uncovered by a perforation in the music sheet, a motor for effecting the travel of the music sheet, and means for reducing the motor speed when said tracker-bar port is uncovered by the music sheet, said port being exposed by the removal of the music sheet to thereby limit the motor speed if the motor is operated while the music sheet is out of its operative position with respect to the tracker bar.

10. In an automatic musical instrument using a music sheet, the combination of a pneumatic motor for effecting the travel of the music sheet, a pair of air valves for said motor, one of which when closed reduces motor speed and both of which when closed stopthe motor, a take-up spool and tracker bar for said music sheet, said tracker bar having a duct to be uncovered by a perfora- ,tion in the music sheet near the forward end of the sheet, a stop valve having two ducts one of which communicatesrwith said tracker-bar duct, means cooperating with said take-up spool for opening said stop valve ducts at the conclusion of rerolling, means controlled by the uncovering of said tracker-bar duct for closing said firstnamed air valve to reduce motor speed near the end of rerolling,and means controlled by the opening of said step valve at the end of rerolling for closing the other air valve to stop the motor, said stop valve by its duct connection with the tracker-bar duct holding said first-named air valve closed.

EDMOND VERLINDEN. 

